Water seal for steam power plants



Patented July 14, 1931 -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUSSELL a. WATERMAN, or LONG BEACH, cA'LIronNIA, ASSIGNOR To irearms p, NATIONAL BANK or GREENVILLE, OHIO, TRUSTEE, or GREENVILLE, OHIO, A con- PORATION OI OHIO WATER SEAL FOR STEAM POWER PLANTS Application filed April 22,

My invention relates to water seals for power plants, more particularly an aparatus for separating the. air from the water being sent to the boiler pumps in power T" lants, and the objects of my invention are:

rst, to provide a means for separating the air from the water in its passage from the condenser to the boiler and returning the same to the condenser; second, to provide an appalo ratus of this class which is positive in its action; third, to provide a novelly constructed water seal of this class and, fourth, to provide an apparatus of this class which is simple and economical of construction, positive in its action, eflioient, durable and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order. p

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafterdescribed in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of'reference thereon which form a part of this application in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view through 11 of Figure 2 of myapparatus showing some of the parts and portions in elevation tofacilitate the illustration. Figure 2 is a sectional view through 22 of Figure 1 and Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through 33 of Figure 1. 6

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The separating chamber 1, separating chamber cover 2, diaphragm 3, water valve stem 4, washer 5, nut 6, outlet conductor 7, adjusting screw 8, conductor to condenser 9, water valve stem spring 10, drain valve 11, water valve12, water outlet conductor to the boiler pump 13, conductor 14, bypass piston valve 15, branch conductor 16, bypass valve intake passage 17, condenser pump intake 18, gear pump 19, gear pump drive shaft 20, and stufling box 21 constitute the principal parts and portions of my water seal apparatus.

1926. Serial No. 103,809.

means of a nut 6 secured on the upper end of the stem 4. Upon this washer 5 is mounted a compression spring 10 which is positioned in an inverted cup shaped portion 2b mounted centrally on the cover member 2. Thus it will be noted that there is provided both the spring 10-and the diaphragmB for regulating the movement of the valve stem 4. Se-

cured on the lower end of the valve stem 4 is a valve 12 which seatsinan. orifice 1b in the lower central portion of the housing 1. This housing 1 is provided below the orifice 1b with a side outlet 13, which connects the valve 12 with the boilertpump. This casing 1 is also providedwith a valve 11'which serves as a drain valve. This housing 1 is also provided near its upper end with an outlet conductor portion 7 which is provided in one sidewith' a set screw 8 which serves as an adj usting'screw for adjusting the opening in the outlet 7. Mounted in the extended end of this outlet portion? is a conductor 9 which extends to and connects with the condenser not shown. Communicating with the separating chamber 1 near its lower side is a conductor 14 and its opposite end communicates with one side of a gearipump 19 which is of the conventional type, and the other side communicates with the conductor 18 which leads to the condenser. This conductor 18 is provided with a branch 16 which communicates with a small orifice 15a in the piston 15 which is reciprocally mounted in an upright housing 15?) in which the piston is mounted,and this piston is provided with a spring 150 tending to hold it downwardly againstthe shoulder 15d in the housing 151). The interior of this housing is provided with a bypass 17 communicating with the conductor 14:. The pump 19 is provided with an extended shaft 20 provided with a housing upon which is mounted a stuffing box 21 for providing a seal around said shaft.

The operation of the water seal apparatus is as follows: WVater is pumped from the condensers through conductor 18 by'means of the gearpump l9 andpasses through the conductor leintothe chamber 1 in whichtheair is in the upper portion of the chamber and the water in the lower portion. lVhen the water reaches a certain level, pressure is brought to bear on the diaphragm 3 by the air and water in said chamber 1 which 'actuates the diaphragm 3 compressing the spring 10 and opening the valvelQpermitting the water 'to be pumped by the boiler pump through the outlet 13. The air in the upper portion of thechamber 1 passes outwardly through the conductor 7, conductor 9 to the condenser above the pump intake. When there is no air in the chamber 1 the conductor 7 merely bypasses a. small portion ofthe water pumped and has no effect on the operation of the rest of the apparatus. The flow of ,air and also the pressure caused by the waterand air in the chamber 1 is regulated by the adjusting screw 8 which is adapted to adjust the size of the outlet in the portion 7. lVhen the pressure lowers in the chamber lthe-valve 1-2 will close, on the seat 16. The water will thenpass directly from the condenser into the -pump 19 into :the housing 1 raisingjthepressure again. IVhen the pressure is high in the chamber 1 and all the water is not being pumped from the chamber 1, the water will be pumped from the condenser throughthe pump 19 into the conductor let to the bypass 17 and the back pressure will raisethe piston 15 permitting the water andlair to pass outwardly through the branch 16 and back through the conductor 18 to the condenser pump intake and-through thepump again.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I ,do not wish to be limited to this particular construction,.combination and arrangement but desireto include in the scope of my inven tion the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I. claim as new and desire to .secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a water seal apparatus for power plants, a vertical chamber member having a discharge opening at its lower end, a diaphragm extending over the upper end ofthe chamber member, .a spring positioned above the diaphragm exerting force downwardly thereaga-inst, a valve stem extending downwardly from the diaphragm and having a chamber,aboiler feed outlet conductor communicating with the lower end of said chamber and controlled "by said valve, a second outlet conductor connected with the upper portion of .said chamber .below said ,diaphragm, and an inlet conductorconnected near the lower portion of said'ch'amber.

. 3. In an apparatus of the class described, a separating chamber connected to a water source, a pressure actuated valveconnected with and actuated by. the pressure within the chamber, a wateroutlet conductor communicating with said valve, and'asecond outlet conductorrconnected with the upper portion ofsaid chamber and communicatingwith and adapted to discharge into said water .source.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a separating chamberconnected to a water source, a pressure actuated valve in. said chamber,'a water outletconductor communicating with said valve, anda second outlet conductorconnected with the upper portion of said chamberand communicating with and adapted to discharge intofsaid water source.

,5. Inan apparatus of the class described, a separating chamber'connected to a water source, a pressure actuated valve (in "said chamber, a water outlet conductor connected with the lower portion of said chamber, the pressure actuated va'lvecontrolling thefsupply of water from said chamber to'said outlet conductor, and a second outlet conductor connected with the upper portion of said chamber and adapted to permit freedischarge therefrom to said water source.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a separating chamber connected to a water source, a pressure actuated valve connected withandactuated bythepressure within the chamber, a water outlet conductor connected with the lower portion of said chamber, the flow of fluid from said. conductor being controlled by'said valve, and a second outlet conductor connected with the upper portion of said chamber and adaptedto permit free discharge therefrom to said water source.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this15th day of April, 1926.. V

RUSSELL R. WATERMAN.

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